పుట:A Collection of Telugu Proverbs.pdf/356

TELUGU PROVERBS.

1971. వింతలేని ఆవలింత పుట్టదు.

There is no yawn without a wonder

Pratâparudrudu king of ôrugallu, (Warrangal) had a very sagacious minister, by name Yugandharudu, who was summoned by the Sultan to be employed in his court. The king refusing to send him, was taken prisoner and confined in the capital. His faithful minister having declared that he would rescue him and bring him back openly, went disguised to the capital and there feigning madness, ran daily through the streets calling out “ Ho! I am going to take away ôruganti Pratâparudrudu." The Sultan, suspecting that his madness was assumed, caused him to be watched. The spies discovered that he cooked under a tree at midnight, and a man was concealed in the tree to watch him when he thought himself alone. According to his custom the minister came at midnight to cook his food, and while doing so, yawned. He immediately thought to himself that there must be some cause for this, and glancing furtively up the tree perceived the spy. He then said in a loud voice ‘There is no yawn without a wonder,’ and commenced breaking his pots and acting the mad man. The minister was then reported as really mad and his ravings were unheeded. Shortly afterwards a ship laden with valuables, was sent by the minister’s contrivance to the port. The Sultan hearing this, was anxious to inspect the cargo, and being informed that the imprisoned king was a connoisseur in gems ordered him to be brought with him on board the vessel. The minister also managed to get on board and while The the Sultan was engaged in examining the precious stones, caused the anchor to be weighed. The Sultan then learnt the trick that had been played upon him and commending the sagacity of the minister, pardoned both him and the king, who returned rejoicing to ôrugallu.^[1]

A somewhat different version of the story is given in the Madras Church Missionary Record for October 1866 by the Rev. F. W- N- Alexander: "I could get very little information from my informant about this ancient king, one thing only is certain that in his days the Mohnmmednns invaded this part of India and besieged Wurrnngal, but the Fort was not taken in his days- The story told to me by several people is very contradictory and unlikely in many respects. The most credible version seems to be, that Wurrungal was besieged by the Padasha of Delhi in person, and for 7 years the assailants were bullied by the thickness of the walls and by the supplies raised within the Fort itself from the large space enclosed by the walls. Failing in this way, they at last took the king by stratagem. The Mohammedans feigned a desire for peace and decoyed Prataparudrudu outside the gates on pretence of making peace, and then seized him in a chariot and carried him off to Delhi and kept him there many days. Meanwhile things went on badly in Wurrangal. in the absence of their king the people refused to obey the minister, and anarchy reigned in the city. The minister resolved to deliver his lord from confinement, and restore him to his subjects. He went to Delhi and began to tell in the most public manner that he was come to release Prataparudrudu. the imprisoned king. For this he was imprisoned and beaten. After a time he was released, and as before proclaimed everywhere that he was going to release the king. He was imprisoned and beaten again and again, till at last he was regarded as a mad man and no heed was taken of his sayings or doings. Roaming through the city, he at last found out where his lord was, and brought to him two legs of the carved ebony cot on which the king used to sleep in Wurrangal, and offerad them for sale. They were recognized at once ; and the pretended seller was asked where he got them and where the remaining pair was to be found. The king was told that the missing pair would be found on board a ship in the river, and he was asked to come and see them. To this the king assented, and somehow brought with him the Padasha of Delhi. They both went on board the ship indicated, and at the helm was seen the pretended mad man who was in truth the minister of the king. In an instant the ship was loose, and the sails spread, keeping in mid-stream they escaped down the river before they could be apprehended, and entering the Godavari the king and the Padasha made their way to Wurrangal. The latter it is said was subsequently released by ransom, and Prataparudrudu died peaceably in his own city."

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